Union Coffee Co. is a young business that has grown into a local favorite, valuing its coffee and its customers in equal measure.
Daniel Davidson and Spencer Loman are cofounders of the café, partnered with the coffee roasters company Black and White Coffee.
“My wife and I, as well as our other co-founder Spencer Loman, have a big heart for the city and wanted to do something that would both help create positive culture and add both to downtown and growth of the city,” Davidson said.
The staff at Union Coffee Co. are committed to creating that positive culture, greeting customers with smiles as soon as they enter.
The menu is small but specialized, and each coffee is crafted with extreme care, putting quality of taste at a noticeable forefront. From smooth vanilla lattes to skillfully balanced flavored coffees, Union Coffee Co. fills its menus with delicious options that are affordably priced, making it the perfect stop for students on a budget.
Tucked onto the corner of West Friendly Avenue in Greensboro, Union Coffee Co. is a third-wave coffee shop, one of the first of its kind in the city. Third-wave coffee shops are able to trace back the location of the beans and focus on quality of flavor in each roast.
Behind each cup, there is a story of the process of how it got there. Being a third-wave coffee shop allows Union Coffee Co. to often know these stories.
“You get actual, personal stories that come along with the coffee, and oftentimes, you get to know the name of the farmers or the name of the farm,” Davidson said.
Customers are welcome to ask about these stories as well as interact with the baristas and other customers. The cafe follows an open floor plan, with couches and bar stools set together to foster a community-focused environment.
Neutral colors and simplistic decor complement the calm atmosphere. Classic coffee shop music plays in the background — a cherry on top for the picturesque space.
“We really wanted to be a space that people would already come to because if people feel comfortable in the space, then it gives you a bigger opportunity to impact people’s lives,” Davidson said.
The company seeks to ultimately create an environment that cultivates relationships over coffee so customers may take that positivity with them into the city.
“I think of coffee as a bridge. I don’t think of coffee as the end goal. I just think of it as a bridge for connecting with people,” Davidson said. “Ultimately, if you can connect with people, then you can connect with the city, and everyone can kind of grow together.”